Owen J. Groark

CENTERVILLE —

Owen James Groark, 78, of Centerville and Naples, Fla., formerly of Fairfield, Conn., died on Monday, Oct. 22, 2007, in Centerville after a long illness.

Mr. Groark was born on Sept. 18, 1929, in Bridgeport, Conn., to the late Dr. Owen James Groark and Ethel (Donovan) Groark. He was a graduate of the Fairfield Preparatory School and Fairfield University. He married Madeline Leahy Groark in 1956 in Fairfield, Conn.

He served in the Korean War, then was employed by Liberty Mutual. He left there to open his own insurance agency and later merged with the William Naff Agency. He worked with his wife in the antiques business for many years.

Mr. Groark is survived by his wife of 51 years, Madeline, as well as his three children, Lynn Groark Fairfield-Sonn and her husband James of Old Lyme, Conn., Laura Groark of Boston and Centerville, and O. James Groark and his wife Deborah of Pittsford, N.Y. He is also survived by his five grandchildren, Anne, Jimmy and John Fairfield-Sonn, and William and Joseph Groark; and his two sisters, Ethel Groark McMahon and Jane Groark Lynge.

A Funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Assumption Church, Stratfield Road, Fairfield, Conn., at 10 a.m., on Friday Oct. 26. There will be no calling hours and burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 2969 Whitney Avenue Hamden, CT 06518.